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Is it always possible to be honest and polite at the same time?
One could argue that honesty and politeness are mutually exclusive in certain circumstances, especially when you are pressed to share your opinion on a particular subject/person. We all know that sometimes the truth hurts (or at least, "your truth").
Some people may think that the only way to get along with everybody is by not being completely honest (or by downright lying) and compliment them, as this way they would then think highly of you.
It's also curious that we tend to like the people we agree with more than the ones we disagree with. Certainly, It's really difficult to make friends with somebody who disagrees with you on almost every matter (even if on trivialities), which is a shame, as this person could be a potential friend full of love, generosity and good advice.
Are we living in a fake society where honest people are being penalized for sharing his true feelings/opinions?
Where is the line between honesty and rudeness? Is it fair to be untrue to your feelings for the sake of good manners? Are there some truths that should never be told?
What do you think?
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Mark Meijer 100+
What I don't get is why nobody finds it offensive to beat around the bush all the time. It's been called speaking with forked tongue, and I'm somehow expected to do it, forced to volunteer. Screw that. Let anyone be offended who insists on it, it has nothing to do with me. My reason for living is not to keep others happy jumping through their hoops, and I certainly hope nobody feels obliged to jump through mine. I would find that rather embarrassing. But maybe that's just me.
Now that doesn't mean the point is to be insulting or venting ones own garbage opinions, and it doesn't mean you can't be direct without being hostile (although whether anyone else considers you hostile is out of your hands anyway). But yes I would say it comes down to remaining true to oneself, and you can't remain true to anything if you have an agenda of lies. Which is really any agenda at all.
The only real issue as far as I'm concerned is not so much being honest with others but being honest with oneself. If you can do that, the rest will take care of itself. Or not, but what else is there ;). People do as they will whether you're true to yourself or not. Your choice whichever you prefer.